Crippled by debt and terror, Pakistan's hollow 'support' for Kashmiris

Soon after the BJP-led central government scrapped Article 370 which provided special status to Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan on Monday said that it will continue extending "diplomatic and political support" to Kashmiris.

The remarks were made by Firdous Ashiq Awan, the Special Assistant to Pakistan's Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting.

Ironically, the statement comes even as Pakistan is struggling with a debt-ridden economy and has "30,000 to 40,000" militants on its soil, as accepted by their Prime Minister Imran Khan during his recent US visit. Not only this, he even admitted that his country has 40 different militant groups operating within its borders.

"Pakistan will continue its diplomatic, moral and political support in full force till the achievement of the independence of Kashmiris in the light of the UN Security Council resolutions," Pakistan's Information Ministry quoted Awan as saying in a tweet.

Islamabad has for long aided anti-India activities on its soil, many times aimed at perpetrating violence in Kashmir. An example of their nefarious designs came to the fore when Indian Army on Saturday foiled an infiltration attempt by Pakistani Border Action Team (BAT) in Jammu and Kashmir's Keran Sector while eliminating five-seven Pakistani Army regulars and terrorists.

Earlier this month, the Indian Army had said that Pakistani terrorists were plotting to carry out an attack on the ongoing Amarnath Yatra and that the security forces had recovered a Pakistan Ordnance Factory anti-personnel mine from a terror cache.

Following this, the Jammu and Kashmir administration had advised all Amarnath Yatris and tourists to curtail their stay in the Valley. Several countries like Germany and the UK also advised its citizens against travelling to the state.

On Monday, the BJP-led Centre scrapped Article 370 and also converted the border state into a Union Territory with a legislature, while hiving off Ladakh as a separate Union Territory without legislature.

"...Keeping in view the prevailing internal security situation, fuelled by cross border terrorism in the existing State of Jammu and Kashmir, a separate Union Territory for Jammu and Kashmir is being created. The Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir will be with legislature," read a statement of objects and reasons of the Jammu and Kashmir (Reorganisation) Bill moved by Home Minister Amit Shah in the Rajya Sabha.